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The Call of the Wild by Jack London


The Novel and Movies





Lesson Plans


  • [[schools.utah.gov/curr/lang_art/sec/PPT/CalloftheWild1.ppt]] This is a power point that offers a unit plan titled "Survival." "Call of the Wild" is the major work used in the unity. This offers reading activities and assessments. It also includes a lesson on comparing and contrasting the events in the book and the movies.
    • (Note: This link does not work. Simply copy and past the link into a Google search, then open either the link from there. Sorry for any inconvenience!)


  • http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/callwild.pdf This is complete guide to teaching "Call of the Wild." It includes assessments, pre-reading activities, a synopsis of each chapter, activities for each chapter, a character list, important quotations, vocabulary terms, discussion questions, related works, and helpful websites.
    • (Note: This link does not work on certain browsers. Simply copy and past the link into a Google search, then open either open the link from there or open it as a Google document. Sorry for any inconvenience!)

  • www.ckcolorado.org/units/7th_grade/7_CalltheWild.pdf This is a unit plan in which the students read and respond to "Call of the Wild." Some of the objectives of the lesson include: Students will draw conclusions, make predictions, and analyze what they read, hear and view. Students will find support in text. Students will determine the essential message in the text.
    • (Note: This link does not work on certain browsers. Simply copy and past the link into a Google search, then open either open the link from there or open it as a Google document. Sorry for any inconvenience!)




  • http://writingfix.com/Literature_Prompts/CalloftheWild3.htm Students will think of their own animals with original problems to be solved. Students will then create a 3-paragraph story, detailing a problem and the eventual solution with words. This lesson focuses on idea development and word choice.


  • http://www.clexchange.org/ftp/documents/english/EN1999-09TheCallOfTheWild.pdf Trobough uses the life of the author, Jack London, to undestand Buck. He objective of this lesson plan is for students to "identify the various experiences that shape a character."
    • (Note: This link does not work on certain browsers. Simply copy and past the link into a Google search, then open either open the link from there or open it as a Google document. Sorry for any inconvenience!)


  • http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=434 This lesson focuses on the following guiding questions: How does Jack London approach the literary problem of telling a story from the point of view of an animal? Why might London have chosen to write from an animal's perspective? The main objective is for students to be able to take a stand on what London is attempting to communicate through his portrayal of Buck; support position with evidence either historical or from the text.

  • http://www.neabigread.org/books/callofthewild/teachersguide02_schedule.php This is a ten-day lesson in which the audio book is played for the students. I found that the audio tapes run for about three hours, so this could be done in class. There is a schedule for each day, including how long the audio book is played for. This site also offers lessons for each day and handouts. The lessons focus on a different aspect daily: Day 1- Biography--Day 2: Culture and History--Day 3: Narrative and Point of View--Day 4: Characters--Day 5: Symbols and Metaphors--Day 6: London's Writing Style-- Day 7: Character Development--Day 8: The Plot Unfolds--Day 9: Themes--Day 10: What makes a great book?



Reading Guides and Worksheets


  • http://www.nt.net/~torino/call.html This site has several questions to ask for each chapter during classroom discussion. This also lists the important vocabulary words for each chapter. It also offers an enrichment activity for each chapter, however, I am critical of the purpose of the activities. I like this site because there are a few questions for each chapter that are listed that would be excellent discussion questions.

  • http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/call_of_the_wild.pd This is my absolute favorite. It is incredible! This is includes a background handout, a map, and pre-reading and post-reading tools. Thre are vocabulary handouts, discussion questions, reader response journals, graphic organizers, math connections (which many schools are implementing), art connections, journal entires, and writing prompts.
    • (Note: This link does not work on certain browsers. Simply copy and past the link into a Google search, then open either open the link from there or open it as a Google document. Sorry for any inconvenience!)







  • [[[[[[my.hrw.com/nsmedia/.../call_of_the_wild.../callofthewild_chapters4-5.pdf]] ]]]] This site is on chapters 4 and 5. It has an organizer for students to chart Cause and Effect Relationships as they read.
    • (Note: This link does not work on certain browsers. Simply copy and past the link into a Google search, then open either open the link from there or open it as a Google document. Sorry for any inconvenience!)




Background Information on the Alaskan/Klondike Gold Rush



  • http://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm This site is the site of the Klondike Gold Rush National Park. There is historical information for a general audience and for students. There is also a tab for teachers which offers a chance to plan a field trip and curriculum.


  • http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=433 This lesson plan is to be used prior to teaching "The Call of the Wild." The main objective is: "After completing this lesson, students will know the historical context of the story, particularly about the Alaskan/Klondike Gold Rush.


  • http://london.sonoma.edu/ This site offers biographies of Jack London, information, audio, and frequently asked questions about London's works. I think it is important to know Jack London's biography and his experience with the Klondike/Alakan Gold Rush, especially if you were to talk about why London used the perspective of a dog. There is also a tab titled "Resources for Students" that offers assistance tips and links.

  • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/gold/teachers.html Gold Fever is a program on PBS about the Gold Rush. This link guides you to the Teacher's Guide. On this tab, there are questions for before watching the program and after. I think that this is another great way to understand the gold rush and the context of the story.